Donnerstag, 27. Oktober 2016

Details in the making - A visit to the National Gallery of Slovenia, Ljubljana (SLO)

It was interesting, even though I did not know any artists or their work, to experience a kind of familiarity. The walk through the National Gallery in Ljubljana is logically structured beginning from the 12th to 20th century. The story paintings tell are not that different from similar galleries in other cities and countries. And as always, I really started to get invested in paintings from the 18th century onward. Maybe because the images string more of a relation to my experiences, my way of thinking. Definitely, because the work gets looser. 

Studies in oil, unfinished work, sketches mostly drew my attention. Examples show the way the artist worked, how they started and structured the painting:

Jurij Subic, 1885
Sketches for the Ceiling of the Grand Staircase of the National Museum of Slovenia
Loved the work on the hair
Ferdo Vesel, 1897
Pre-Sketch in oil, establishing tone and color
Effective, how the building starts with a dark underpainting
 and the lighter tones were added on top

Examples of paintings dominated by their use of Lights and Darks. They will serve for own monochrome studies:

Federiko Benkovic, before 1750
The Liberation of St Peter
Study of Light and Darks, starting with a red pencil, watercolor wash
(which is probably not the greatest idea, since it takes too much effort to mix greys), getting detailed with charcoal
Ivana Kobilca, 1886
A Dutchwoman
Other paintings I liked for several reasons:

Matevz Langus
Self Portrait
(interesting lead holder)
Anton Karinger, 1869
Painter's Wife Roza Karinger
Detail from above
The color effect is just awesome  
Detail
So much facial color
Matej Sternen, 1902
A Redhead
(Looseness) 
Anton Azbe, 1888
Sitting Female Semi Nude
(Loved the work on the contours, striking sharp in the face
and loose and soft on the back and hair) 

MerkenMerken